Area briefs

Returned pants lead to marijuana arrest

An area man was arrested Thursday for possession of marijuana after trying to retrieve a pair of returned pants from an Ottawa store.

Dean Frederick Berlin, 22, Ottawa, took a pair of wind pants back to Wal-Mart about 10:30 p.m. Ottawa Police said that as Berlin was leaving the store he remembered he had left a bag of marijuana in a pocket of the pants. He went back to retrieve the bag before it was discovered, but employees of the Wal-Mart, 2101 Princeton, already had called police.

Ottawa Police Capt. Ron Puterbaugh said Berlin was arrested and booked in the Franklin County Jail. He also was issued a notice to appear in municipal court for possession of marijuana.

Russian pharmacists visiting Lawrence

Seventeen Russian pharmacists were greeted at a reception Friday by Vice Mayor David Dunfield shortly after they arrived in Lawrence.

The pharmacists are here visiting area medical facilities and pharmacies to learn methods to reduce errors when filling prescriptions and dispensing medications.

The Russians will be in the area for nearly a month. Wednesday they will tour Lawrence Memorial Hospital’s pharmacy and Oncology Center. They also will stop in Kreider Rehabilitation Services.

March 19 the pharmacists are scheduled to visit Right Choice Pharmacy in Tonganoxie. Right Choice is a large, automated pharmacy that fills distant orders via mail.

Exhibit features work about mental illness

An exhibit of art produced by people struggling against mental illness opens today at the Lawrence Public Library.

The goal of the exhibit, called “Sea of Visions: A Mental Health Consumer,” is to provide a forum for mentally ill artists to display and receive recognition for their artwork.

A mental health consumer is anyone who receives mental health services.

The will run through March 27. An opening reception will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday.